Band remover for cartons

ABSTRACT

A tool for removing a peripheral band from a yieldable carton having an outwardly projecting non-planar area traversed by the band adjacent to an end of the carton in which the tool has a wedge end of substantial width with a lateral contour similar to the contour of this non-planar area, a fulcrum portion adjacent the end of the tool about which the tool is rockable and a handle attached to the wedge end for prying the band relative to the carton both in removing the band and applying the band to the carton once the wedge end of the tool has been inserted between the band and the carton.

United States Patent Gast [451 July 18, 1972 BAND REMOVER FOR CARTONSFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: E. Benton Harbor, l Sweden 7[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Cor ration Primary Examiner-Othell M. Sim sonPO A J S N I Th p E T ttorneyames ett eton, omas urcotte, Burton H. 1970Baker, Gene A. Heth, Franklin C. Hatter, Anthony Niewyk, Robert L. Juddand Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman and 21 1 Appl. No.: 75,418

ABSTRACT (5| "254/53; A tool for removing a pefipheral band from ayieldable carton having an outwardly p j g nomplanar area traversed y[58] Field of Search 145/21 7/17 g i the band adjacent to an end of thecarton in which the tool has a wedge end of substantial width with alateral contour similar R f ed to the contour of this non-planar area, afulcrum portion ad- [56] e erences It jacent the end of the tool aboutwhich the tool is rockable and a handle attached to the wedge end forprying the band rela- UNITED STATES PATENTS tive to the carton both inremoving the band and applying the 333,539 l/ l 886 Palmer ..254/25 Xband to the carton once the wedge end of the tool has been in- 1,772,5128/1930 Hathorn ..7/ l 7 serted between the band and the carton.

8 Clains, 4 Drawing Figures Patented July 18, 1972 3,677,519

INVENTOR. GERALD E. GAST L M. BY fi 7 aw MM)! ATTORNEYS.

BAND REMOVER FOR CARTONS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the features ofthis invention is to provide an improved tool for removing peripheralbands such as steel straps from a yieldable carton particularly of thetube and cap type in which the tool is insertable between the band andthe carton and has a substantial width so that the tool may be rockedabout the inserted end in removing the band from the carton and inreapplying the band or a similar band to the carton.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of one embodiment as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of atool embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the tool inremoving a band from acarton.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the applying of a metalband to the carton.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As illustrated in the drawingsthe tool of this invention is particularly useful in removing andapplying relatively nonstretchable bands such as the steel strap to theend cap 11 of a tubular carton 12 which of course is a carton that isopen at least one end but which is closed by a removable cap 11 toprovide access thereto.

The carton 12 which in its assembled condition includes the cap 11 aswell as the rectangular body 13 is constructed of a yieldable materialsuch as rupture resistant corrugated paperboard. The band 10 traversesthe corners 14 of the carton with these corners in their broadest sensebeing identified as outwardly projecting non-planar areas.

The tool 15 for removing and installing the peripheral band 10 on thecarton comprises a wedge end 16 of substantial width having a lateralcontour which in the illustrated embodiment is the horizontal sectionthrough the wedge end similar to the contour of the non-planar areas 14.Thus, in the illustrated embodiment each area 14 is a right angled comerso that the tool is constructed of two flat elongated plate members 17and 18 arranged at a right angle to each other which of course is thecontour of each corner 14.

Each elongated plate 17 and 18 has a pointed end 19 and 20 for aiding ininserting the wedge end between the carton 12 and specifically the endcap 11 thereof and the band 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The tool 15also includes a curved handle 21 attached to the wedge end 16 formanipulating the tool in removing and installing the band 10.

The wedge end 16 of the tool is provided with a fulcrum surface aboutwhich the tool and the band 10 engaged therewith is rockable. Thus, inthe illustrated embodiment each plate member 17 and 18 is curved in asmooth curvature as indicated at 22 and 23 in their separate ends 19 and20. Thus, the ends 19 and 20 are curved rearwardly as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 relative to the wedge end 16 of the tool.

In removing a band 10 from the carton 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2 thepointed and angled wedge end 16 of the tool is inserted between the band10 and the end cap 11 with the angled side plates 17 and 18 of the toolresting flatly against the sides of the cap 11 from the corner 14 aroundwhich the tool extends. The operator 24 thereupon rocks the tooloutwardly away from the body 13 of the carton and this is repeated ineasing the band 10 up over the top end 25 of the carton.

In reapplying the band to the carton the reverse procedure is followed,as illustrated in FIG. 4. Here the tool 15 is inverted with the wedgeend 16 between the carton cap 11 and the band 10 and the tool is rockedback and forth about the curved ends 22 and 23 to work the band 10 backonto the carton and s ecifically the cap 11.

With t 15 tool one operator can remove a non-elastic band such as ametal strap from a carton and reapply it for inspecting the contents ofthe carton or any other purpose. Ordinarily it takes two workmen toapply a band of this type.

The plates 17 and 18 forming the wedge end 16 of the tool can be readilyformed by bending a single strip of metal or this wedge end can beformed by welding two separate plates 17 and 18 together at their edgesof contact. This tool permits removing the band or bands over the cornerof the carton where because of the non-planar area of the comer thecarton is at its strongest. The carton, however, is yieldable to asufficient degree to permit operation of the tool to remove and applybands efficiently and by a single operator.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scopeas set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A tool for removing and applying a peripheral band relative to ayieldable carton having an outwardly projecting nonplanar area traversedby said band, said tool comprising: a thin, rigid wedge end defining aninner surface having a concave lateral contour complementary to thecontour of said nonplanar area parallel to the longitudinal extent ofthe band; turned tip means on said wedge end for aiding the inserting ofsaid end between the carton and band; and a handle attached to saidwedge end oppositely of said tip means for prying said band relative tosaid carbon both in removing said band and applying said band to thecarton.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said turned tip means defines an arcuatefulcrum surface about which the tool and the band engaged therewith isrockable against said carton area.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said fulcrum surface is curved rearwardlywith respect to the concavity of said wedge end.

4. The tool of claim 1 wherein said tip means is pointed to aid theinserting of the wedge end between the carton and the band.

5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said non-planar area of the cartondefines a corner and said wedge end inner surface defines acomplementary concave corner surface.

6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said wedge end comprises two planar endsections arranged at a preselected angle to each other with each tipmeans being curved rearwardly relative to the concavity defined by theplanar end sections and pointed to aid in the inserting of the toolbetween the carbon and the band and to provide a fulcrum surface aroundwhich the tool is manipulated by its handle in said prying of the bandrelative to the carton.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein said handle is longitudinally arcuate.

8. The tool of claim 1 wherein said wedge end comprises a pair ofsimilar right angularly related planar elements, and each said tip meanscomprises a V-shaped tip curved out of the plane of the associatedelement and disposed symmetrically to the longitudinal centerline of theelement extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the band.

1. A tool for removing and applying a peripheral band relative to ayieldable carton having an outwardly projecting nonplanar area traversedby said band, said tool comprising: a thin, rigid wedge end defining aninner surface having a concave lateral contour complementary to thecontour of said nonplanar area parallel to the longitudinal extent ofthe band; turned tip means on said wedge end for aiding the inserting ofsaid end between the carton and band; and a handle attached to saidwedge end oppositely of said tip means for prying said band relative tosaid carbon both in removing said band and applying said band to thecarton.
 2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said turned tip means defines anarcuate fulcrum surface about which the tool and the band engagedtherewith is rockable against said carton area.
 3. The tool of claim 2wherein said fulcrum surface is curved rearwardly with respect to theconcavity of said wedge end.
 4. The tool of claim 1 wherein said tipmeans is pointed to aid the inserting of the wedge end between thecarton and the band.
 5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said non-planar areaof the carton defines a corner and said wedge end inner surface definesa complementary concave corner surface.
 6. The tool of claim 5 whereinsaid wedge end comprises two planar end sections arranged at apreselected angle to each other with each tip means being curvedrearwardly relative to the concavity defined by the planar end sectionsand pointed to aid in the inserting of the tool between the carbon andthe band and to provide a fulcrum surface around which the tool ismanipulated by its handle in said prying of the band relative to thecarton.
 7. The tool of claim 1 wherein said handle is longitudinallyarcuate.
 8. The tool of claim 1 wherein said wedge end comprises a pairof similar right angularly related planar elements, and Each said tipmeans comprises a V-shaped tip curved out of the plane of the associatedelement and disposed symmetrically to the longitudinal centerline of theelement extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the band.